Online Alcohol Server Training Program Certified in Rhode Island

ARLINGTON, Va., June 10 /PRNewswire/ — Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) today announced that eTIPS, an online training and certification program for bartenders and servers of alcohol, was certified by Rhode Island’s Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals. In 2006, Rhode Island made alcohol server training mandatory for all employees who serve alcohol, and certified TIPS for On Premise classroom training from the beginning. The review of the online program, eTIPS, took more time. The addition of eTIPS will greatly expand the training options available for those who serve or sell alcohol in Rhode Island. Immediate benefits include tools to reduce underage drinking, intoxication, and drunk driving, as well as new flexibility in extending such benefits to establishments large and small.

The eTIPS program addresses concerns specific to restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, and other on-premise liquor license holders and is tailored to apply to regulations unique to Rhode Island. In addition, eTIPS participants are able to assess the needs of their clients from both the legal and alcohol-related standpoint after viewing thought-provoking video clips. The final section of the course challenges participants by forcing them to apply intervention strategies learned from previous exercises. Participants take a certification examination at the conclusion of the course.

The eTIPS course is a self-paced, innovative approach to alcohol server training. It allows participants to obtain practical and valuable training anywhere and at almost any time. Most importantly, this new tool will provide Rhode Island businesses with reduced exposure to alcohol liability lawsuits, lower insurance rates, and improved customer satisfaction. By means of video streaming and top-shelf technology, the eTIPS user participates in a lively and interactive experience.

The course, introduced to alcohol servers in 2005, has also exceeded expectations for eLearning in general. eTIPS can be used on a wide range of computers, and HCI is able to control the experience for students and address problems directly. “I was concerned that we would lose the human element with an eLearning course, but eTIPS makes servers assess and evaluate alcohol-related situations they face every day. I was very pleased with the level of interactivity and the human feel of the course,” remarked Adam Chafetz, President and CEO of Health Communications.

Health Communications, Inc. is the provider of the country’s leading alcohol server training program. Over the last 25 years HCI has certified 45,000 trainers and more than three million servers, sellers, and consumers worldwide with the TIPS program. TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) is a classroom-based training program that gives servers, sellers, and consumers of alcohol the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and teach them to effectively intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies. With the addition of eTIPS, that quality training is now available both in the classroom and via the web. To learn more about eTIPS, visit the http://www.gettips.com [TIPS] website.

    Contact:

    Trevor Estelle
    703-524-1200 ext. 357
    estellet@gettips.com

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SOURCE Health Communications, Inc.